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TikTok’s collection of user data has been the core of most the arguments for banning the app.
There are concerns that the data that the app collects could be used for nefarious purposes.
What data do social media platforms collect?
Social media platforms require user data to function.
Every single social media platform you use will gather data about every time you use it.
are over a certain age.
precise location data and address book) needs your permission to be accessible by the social media platform.
However, most of the other data is collected by the site as and when you use it.
The purpose of collecting this data is to make your social media stream reflect you as a user.
That may include both faceprints or voiceprints.
How long do social media platforms keep my data?
How long do you think your data will be saved by the platform after you’ve deleted your account?
Some platforms retain user data for far longer than others.
What do social media platforms do with my data?
It might also be used to make some features (like selfie filters or voice changers) work properly.
However, some companies have begun to apply user data for other purposes.
Are TikTok’s data practices any worse than other social media platforms?
So, TikTok is far from alone in the extremity of its data harvesting.
In fact, you could argue that its data privacy practices are better than those of Meta or X.
It has not fed user content into its generative AI models, at least.
But, for TikTok, the data harvesting is said to be a matter of national security.
While it is still not confirmed that the US will ban TikTok, the reality is looming ever-closer.
Not ideal but it would certainly set an interesting precedent for other social media sites.
These are the same factors that have been used to argue for the banning of TikTok.
You might want to look to protect yourself, before your country does it for you.
